Richard Ellis Talks

Guest (Male): Today on Richard Ellis Talks.

Richard Ellis: Let me tell you something about our God. He does things that in our minds are not fair. He can do whatever he wants to do, and you are not in a position to be arguing with him because you know what? None of us deserve to get picked to go into his vineyard in the first place. So if you got picked at all, you're blessed to have a job.

Guest (Male): Welcome to Richard Ellis Talks with Richard Ellis. Thanks for allowing us to share this time with you. You may be stuck in traffic or stuck in life. Either way, today's message is going to help you get on the right track as you learn how much God loves you right where you are. Richard's unique style checks all the boxes with a lot of hope, insight, truth, and of course, humor. Today's talk with Richard will get our conversation started, but we want to keep it going with you. So let's stay in touch through our website richardellis.com. But right now, let's go ahead and get right into today's talk.

Here's Richard Ellis.

Richard Ellis: The title of today's message is the 11th hour. Maybe you've ever heard the phrase the 11th hour. There's some I think it got started getting used back in the 1800s, and believe it or not, it kind of traces itself back to the scriptures. And I'm going to read you a story and try to explain some of this and some other stuff. So go to Matthew chapter 20, but I'm going to read you some of Matthew chapter 19, the end of it at least, cuz the word four is where you start in verse 20 and the ties together.

So go to Matthew chapter 19 and Jesus is saying a bunch of stuff here. Rich young ruler came to him and talked to him and walked away sorrowful cuz he had a lot of money. And in his case, he had told this guy, sell all you have, give to the poor, and follow me. And he had great possessions, so he walked away. Then verse 23, then Jesus said to his disciples, assuredly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

When his disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished saying, well, who then can be saved? Cuz we've all got stuff. But Jesus looked at them and said to them, with men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Then Peter answered and said to him, see, we've left all and followed you. Therefore, what shall we have? Like Peter's in this mode of, okay, well, we did leave everything and follow you, so what are we going to get? So Jesus said to them, assuredly I say to you that in the regeneration when the son of man sits on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel.

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my name's sake shall receive 100 fold and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last and the last first. And then he just keeps going. For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Okay? So here's this guy and to not dissect this frog so much you can't tell it's a frog anymore, but let's break it up a little bit.

This landowner has got a vineyard, and if you know anything about harvest or about grapes or anything, when things get ripe and they're ready, you have to seize the moment. You have to go in and do what you're going to do. So this landowner knows that his grapes are ready to be picked, the fruit is ready on the vine, and he goes into the market cuz he's got to get as many people as he can when the harvest is ripe to put to work so he can get them off the vines and processed. Okay? So there's your picture.

So he says here, Jesus says, okay, the kingdom of heaven then is like this landowner. In this case, the landowner would be God who went out early in the morning. And when I say early, I'm talking about 5:00 or 6:00 in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. So he puts them to work. So this guy is found his workers and he's got them working. You say, well, that's good. He's done for the day. No. Look what it says.

He went out about the third hour, which is 9:00. So he got the first bunch probably, let's say before that, but possibly 6:00 or 7:00. And he saw others, and look at this phrase, standing idle in the marketplace. Now these guys weren't at home in bed. These were kind of day laborers. These were people who were willing to work, but nobody had hired them yet. So they're standing around the market, and this is where he goes. These are day laborers. Okay? And this landowner goes back in there again. So again, he went out about the third hour, 9:00, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace.

And he said to them, now watch what he says to them all along the way. You also go into the vineyard. Now the first bunch he said, I'll give you a denarius a day, right? And then everybody after that, this is kind of the phrase. And whatever is right, I will give you. You didn't start when everybody else started, but I'm telling you, if you'll go work in my vineyard, I'll take care of you. Whatever's right, I'll give you. So they went. They agreed to it. Said, okay, we'll go work. Again he went out about the sixth hour.

Okay? So now it's noon. And the ninth hour at 3:00. So all day long he knows he's got grapes to get off the vine. He keeps going back to the market, and he keeps finding people. And did likewise. And he finds them. You're here idle. You want to go to work. I'll pay you what's fair. And then look at verse six. And about the 11th hour, this is 5:00. He went out and found others standing idle. There they are. Now how he missed them before when he went in all day, I don't know. And he said to them, why have you been standing here idle all day?

They had been there somehow all day looking for work. Now let me stop here before we read verse seven. Well, no, let's read it and then I'll say this. Then they said to him because no one hired us. In other words, we have been here all day willing to work, but nobody hired us. So we stayed here waiting, and here it is 5:00, the 11th hour. And he said to them, you also go into the vineyard, and whatever is ripe you will receive. Now if you've ever been without a job, it is a horrible place to be.

And I know enough people in this room right now to know the panic. You know, if you're a single guy by yourself with a butter bowl and a spoon and some cereal and milk, you're okay. But if you're married, you got some kids, people that you're responsible for, some bills to pay, and you can't sleep in the back of your car somewhere, it is a scary scary thing to do. These are not lazy people this landowner has found. These are people that want to work, need to work, and are thrilled to be hired cuz they all agree to go do whatever it is for however many hours it is to get anything cuz they are trying to get hired.

But these this last bunch has been there all day wondering what's wrong, why has no one shown up to hire us? Now here's what is interesting to me also about this last bunch, and they get mentioned specifically in a second. What kind of businessman and in a minute you'll see what they get paid. What kind of guy would go hire someone at the 11th hour, at the last minute, at the end of the day, and then pay them? You say, well, he paid him an hour's wage cuz some guys have been out there for maybe 9, 10, 11, you know, at least maybe 12 hours.

They've been working. So clearly the guys who get hired at the end, you'd be foolish to pay the guy you hired at 5:00 the same thing you pay the guy who worked all day. Correct? That would not be fair. We'll watch the story that Jesus tells. So when the evening had come, verse eight, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, call the laborers and give them their wages. Now watch how this goes down. He says specifically to his steward or to his foreman, beginning with the last to the first. Don't pay the guys who went to work early first.

Pay the guys I hired at the 11th hour first, and let's see how this unfolds. And when those came who were hired about the 11th hour, they each received a denarius. Now if you can imagine this scene, however many guys there are lined up here waiting to get paid, when the 11th hour guys get paid a denarius, everybody in the line goes, going to cash in today cuz he's given them a denarius. They worked one hour. There is no way he's going to pay us a denarius that we agreed to work for if he's paid them a denarius.

So let's keep reading. But when the first came, here it is, they supposed that they would receive more. And they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner saying, these last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the heat of the day. It's not fair. Now before we read anymore, I'm going to take you over to Luke in a second. Let me tell you something about our God. He does things that in our minds are not fair.

But as you'll see the explanation here in a minute, he can do whatever he wants to do. And you are not in a position to be arguing with him because you know what? None of us deserve to get hired. None of us deserve to get picked to go into his vineyard in the first place. So if you got picked at all, you're blessed to have a job. You're blessed to be included. And now Jesus is talking here, and some people think that he 's talking to the group and explaining what you've got these Jews that were selected who have been working for hundreds of years, God's people, serving serving serving serving serving.

And then all of a sudden what is about to happen when he dies on that cross, is buried and raised from the dead, is the 11th hour bunch which we are part of get pulled in and get exactly the same thing that everybody else got. And everybody who came before goes, it's not fair. Go over to Luke chapter 15 a second. If you know anything about this chapter, there's some great stories here. I end up in this chapter a lot. It's one of my favorite in the whole Bible. The story about the prodigal son, the lost son who ran away, he came back.

The dad's all excited. The big brother's been there working working working. And he is not happy. Let's jump in Luke chapter 15, verse 22. So the boy who's repented, changed his mind, changed his heart, he's come home. My dad at least hire me as a servant. Something's better than feeding pigs where I was. But the father said to his servants, bring out the best robe, put it on him, put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet, and bring the fatted calf here and kill it and let us eat and be married. For this my son was dead and is alive again.

He was lost and is found, and they began to be married. Now look at this mentality of it's not fair kicking in and the older son which represents here the Jewish people who are not happy that Jesus has shown up in the first place. Verse 25, now his older son was in the field, and he came and drew near to the house, and he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.

It's great. Look at verse 28, but he was angry and would not go in. Therefore, his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, lo, these many years I've been serving you. I never transgressed your commandment at any time, and yet you never gave me a young goat that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as the son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him. And he said to him, son, you're always with me. Now look at the parallels here.

You've been here with me all along, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad for your brother was dead and is alive again and was lost and is found. Now go back over this chapter, Matthew 20. Now remember what they just said in verse seven. They said to him because no one hired us, you also go in the vineyard, what is right you'll receive. So these guys had signed up for just whatever he would give them. Verse 12, these men have worked only one hour. You made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.

And then verse 13, but he answered one of them and said, and look what he says, friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Was that our deal this morning early when I hired you all to pay you a denarius a day, go work in my vineyard? Said, I'll take it. Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to the last men the same as you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?

So the last will be first and the first last for many are called, but few chosen. Now what happens to us? And it's very fascinating. You may have a different read here on verse 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things, or is your eye evil because I am good? Let me tell you what happens to us. Happens in a church like this. The reason so many times churches end up being a bunch of poor people, a bunch of rich people, a bunch of middle class people, that everybody's kind of similar and close is that if you're a bunch of poor people together, you got the same background, got the same economics, then it's kind of the grounds level and it seems fair.

But what happens in a gathering like this where we got a little bit of everybody is you pull up in the parking lot, somebody pulls up in a Mercedes, somebody pulls up in a Maserati, somebody pulls up in a, you know, a carriage, horse-drawn carriage it almost looks like. You have to push it in the parking lot. You're afraid you're going to go out there and your car is not going to start, you're going to be embarrassed cuz, you know, you got jumper cables and they don't cuz that's the only way you can get around.

And what happens? We say it's not fair. They've got a Mercedes. They've got all that. That's not fair. God doesn't love me as much. God's not taking care of me. Why did God bless them and didn't bless me? And some people say, well, if I had all the opportunities they had, I might be rich too. You know what? They might just be smarter than me. Have you ever thought about that? It may not be a question of being fair. They might have studied harder than you did. Now sometimes just the rain falls on the just and the unjust and things happen, but don't be envious of other people.

We get so sucked into this thing, and when God blesses someone else we go, well, it's not fair. It's not right. What about me? It's my turn. Jokingly the other day out on the golf course and I knew this guy so he wouldn't take it wrong, but I had this terrible lie and the ball was on a hill and a ditch and I pulled out some club and God on, you know, it's going to be a prayer to view and hit the thing. And I went to hit it and I said, okay God, you owe me one just like that.

And his eyes got big. I said, dude, you know I'm just kidding. You know. Okay, we're laughing, but you know what? That's our mentality. God, you owe me one. You know what? He owes you nothing. You signed up for whatever you signed up for. I got picked, and it's a denarius a day and I go all day. See, it's stuff like this that makes us crazy. Even the world gets nuts cuz they say, okay, okay, let's read it. Go over to Luke chapter 23. Let me give you an example of this. And if you don't figure stuff like this out, you're never going to be content.

It's not going to work for you. You're going to be just thinking God does owe you one. It's my turn. Jesus literally is hanging on the cross in Luke 23, look at verse 39. Then one of the criminals who were hanging blasphemed him saying, if you're the Christ, save yourself and us. You know, if you're all that, get us off of here. Just completely blaspheming mocking him. But the other, the guy on the other side answering, rebuked him saying, do you not even fear God? What dude, you're hanging you're about to die. And the dude's not in the scripture, but you know, you're about to die.

Seeing you are under the same condemnation, think about what you're saying, what you're doing. And we indeed justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds. Now look what this thief knew hanging there on the cross next to him. But this man has done nothing wrong. It was obvious. We know we're criminals. We deserve to be hanging here dying. But he doesn't even deserve to be here. Don't mess with him. Then he said to Jesus, the one who was trying to shut the other guy up, simple words, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Well good for him. Nice try, buddy. You've been an idiot your whole life and hang up here about to die on a cross and say a few words to some guy next to you that you think was a good guy and he's going to take you at the last minute in the 11th hour. You're going to make it. Whatever. Good luck with that. This is what makes people crazy. You mean you're saying you could live your whole life and kill someone and steal and rob and rape and do all kind of evil things and then at the last second get the same thing that I got when I've lived my whole life for God.

It's not fair. That's the deal. It works anywhere, anytime for anybody the same way, and I get the same Jesus at the last second that you got if you got him at 6:00. And there's something wrong with us if we flip out on this deal and get upset with that, we don't get it if that makes you mad. We ought to want anybody to get it anywhere anytime. Now let me finish this and then make this comment. Look what Jesus says to him. This is how you know it works. And Jesus said to him, this is Jesus about to die and he's still talking to people.

Assuredly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. Can you imagine hearing those words? I've screwed my whole life up. And the one man that can change it all is going to take me with him right now. Now let me tell you, if you don't understand the whole grace of God thing and how this works, what the guys who got hired early in the morning had over the guys who got hired at the 11th hour at 5:00 is this. And this is what you have to get your head around. It is a horrible thing, and as the scripture said it, to stand idle.

People who are busy doing things, but inside they're just standing idle. See, you look at people and you say, well, they're making all this money, they had all this stuff. There are people that I know that have all the money in the world, all the stuff in the world, but their panic is that they will die and have left nothing behind. You say, but they're going to leave everything behind. They're going to leave stuff behind, but the nightmare is did I make a difference? Did I contribute to the harvest? Or was my whole life a waste?

Why do you think people freak out in their old age with all this stuff and try to give it to charity and just scramble trying to make some difference? If you don't do it in Jesus' name, it is gone forever. You might get a plaque on a wall, you might get an award, they may name something after you, but everything they name after you is going to burn. You better get credit on the other side. And the guys that got hired early if they had figured out got the satisfaction of that whole time contributing having something to do.

They had been hired by the landowner, the master. They were contributing, and that should have been enough. And you say, well, I need more money. Let me tell you something. There's a point at which no matter how much money you get paid, if you don't have the satisfaction of accomplishing something, the money doesn't matter. You say, well, aren't some people motivated by money? Clearly some people are, but at a point you can't buy anything else. You say, well, yeah, I could try. You can't buy but so much stuff before it just gets sickening. I know you'd like to try.

And instead of looking around, if God can drop, he can open the windows of heaven and bless you financially if that's what he chooses to do and he thinks you can handle it, but don't spend your whole life looking around at people and going, well, that's not fair. I tell you what's not fair is that my Jesus got strung up on a cross. That's what's not fair. He didn't deserve that. And the only reason that it happened as far as I understand is me. I'm the one he should be mad at cuz I got him killed.

It's my sin. It's me that he came after. So when he comes along and says, I tell you what, I'd like you to work in my vineyard and this is what I'm going to give you. My answer ought to be, wow, thank you so much. I'm in. Just thank you for letting me be a part. And then every hour after that through the generations, through the decades, through the millennia, if someone else gets in, you know what? We ought to be going, wow, look at there. He gave him the same thing. That's just like God.

That is so wrong in such a right way. Cuz see, I get the satisfaction of hopefully knowing him maybe a little better than the 11th hour guys. You know, stepping across the line and not be on a cross and having one conversation with him, and he says, well, you'll be with me today in paradise. It's stepping across the line and going, Richard Ellis, you and I had some conversations. I think you probably know me. Say yes soon, you know. Yeah, I know you come on in. And he knows what you did. And if you did it for yourself it's not going to matter anyway, but if you did it for him, then he says, well, here's some crowns.

You go, well, great. Now I got something to give back to you. Keep your denarius. It's all about you anyway.

Guest (Male): Before Richard comes back to wrap things up for us today, I'd like to share a couple important things with you. Let me encourage you to take a minute and check out our website, richardellis.com. You'll find today's talk right there in the talks page along with all of Richard's audio and video messages. You can even forward them to a friend so they can hear them too. You'll also find the prayer wall to add your prayer requests, a link so you can connect with us, the contribute page for you to be able to give to this ministry, all of our social media links, and much more.

So check it out, richardellis.com. And Richard's back now to wrap up today's talk.

Richard Ellis: Let's pray. And our Father, it is such an amazing privilege to even be able to say those words and they be true that you are our Father. And I pray that there's no misunderstanding. Lord, some people think well, we're all God's children, and that's just not true. He created mankind, but the only way to make him your Father is to be his son, and the only way to be his son is to get adopted into his family through his only son Jesus that died on that cross, was buried and raised from the dead. And only you can do this, God.

Holy Spirit, I ask you to open some eyes today, open some ears, break some hearts, and help us stop looking around at the world and what we don't have and what we do have and making us better or worse than somebody else. But realize that you're a good God, and that if we hear your voice at all and sense your presence and tapping on our shoulder or on our heart as it were, that the wisest, the best thing in the world to do would be to say, okay God, I get it. I don't know why I didn't get it before, but I get it now.

I see. I deserve to die. You died. And I understand now that it's my sin that got you killed, and you were willing to come and pay with your life to redeem, to buy back my life to get me to you. So I admit that I'm a sinner, and I need your forgiveness. I repent. I'm going to stop saying what I say is right and that you're wrong and start saying what you say is right that I'm wrong. I do believe that Jesus died on that cross to pay for my sin. I accept the forgiveness of my sin as a free gift.

I believe that he died, was buried, raised from the dead. He did it all to purchase a place for me in heaven that he offers as a free gift. I accept that gift of eternal life as just that a gift. I know I don't deserve it, and I'll never be able to pay you back, God. But I'm asking you to come live in me and through me and change me. And if today is the last day of my life and I got in by the skin of my teeth, I thank you that the same grace that's worked for all these other people for so many years can work for me if only for a day, it's enough.

Thank you for saving me. Thank you for coming in to my life to live in me and through me and change me and everything about me and everything around me. Use my life in the vineyard of this world as it were, Lord, to be a part of this amazing harvest. And Father, for those of us who are stingy with grace and think life is not fair, help us realize that having Jesus is enough. And everything beyond that is surplus. And to never take this amazing grace for granted and be willing to dispense it anywhere, anytime in your name.

We thank you and we love you and we praise you and pray it all in Jesus' name. Amen.

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